Dental hand-piece guard



Jan. 19, 1932. D REITER DENTAL HAND PIECE GUARD Filed NOV. 1, 1929 gwventoz \Da/id 7 66669" Patented Jan. 19, 1932 DAVID REITER, or WOODSIIDE, NEW YORK DENTAL HAND-PIECE GUARD Application filed November The invention relates to dental instruments, particularly to safety devices, and has for its general object the provision of a guard adapted for use in connection with a handpiece for the purpose of preventing contact with andinjury to the cheek or tongue of the patient when grinding a tooth.

It is well known that the ordinary handpiece is used for grinding, a small grinding disk being employed. Very frequently it occurs that the grinding disk or wheel may slip off from the tooth worked upon and cause laceration ofthe patients cheek or tongue. It is with these facts in view that I have devised the present invention. which has for an important object the provision of a guard which may be simply slipped onto or clamped upon the hand-piece without altering the construction of the latter and which embodies a member which substantially encloses the disk and which will therefore at all times prevent contact thereof with the cheek or tongue.

Another object is to provide a device of this character in which the guard is movably mounted so as to be swung partly away from the grinding wheel when such is desired.-

Another important object is to provide a device of this character in which the guard is movably mounted with respect to the handpiece when carried thereby so that the guard may be placed over a tooth and the handpiece'moved with respect thereto to bring the grinding disk into contact-with the tooth without moving the guard itself, while if the operator slips the guard will immediately move relatively to the hand-piece and enclose the disk for the protection of the patient.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character equipped with means for supplying water to the grinding disk as is necessary to prevent excessive heat from friction with a tooth.

' Anotherobject is to provide a device of this character which maybe manufactured and sold as a complete and separate entity adapted to be used as an attachment toalreadyf'existing hand-pieces;

I A further object is to provide a guard 1, 1929. Serial No. 404,078.

structure which may be readily sterilized and I kept in a thoroughly sanitary condition.

An additional object is to provide a device of this type which will be simple and inexpensive to make, easy to use, positive in action, efficient and durable in service, and a general improvement in the art. 7

To the attainment of the foregoing an other objects and advantages, the invention preferably consists in the details of construction and the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device showing it in association with a dental handpiece which is illustrated in dot and dash lines.

Figure 2 is an end view,

Figure 3 is a top plan view, and

Figure 4 is a cross section taken on line 4: 4: of Figure 1. Referring more particularly to the drawings the letter A designates a portion of a dental hand-piece which when used for a grinding carries a rotary abrasive disk B. In carrying out my invention I provide a complete structure here shown as comprising a clamp or clip 10 represented as of cylindrical shape and formed as a split sleeve so that it may be slipped onto or otherwise engaged. upon the hand-piece. The material of this sleeve is resilient so that it will grip the handpiece closely and maintain itself in proper position thereon.

Suitably secured upon this sleeve at a location preferably opposite the split is a bracket 11 provided at one end with spaced upstanding ears 12 and having its other end offset and forwardly extended to provide a stop member 13.

I also provide an'elongated arm for a lever 14 provided with ears 15 preferably straddling the ears l2'and pivoted thereto as by a suitable pin 16 so as to be capable of swinging movement. A spring 17 surrounds the pin and has one end engaging against the attaching portion of the bracket 11 and its other end bearing against the underside of the arm or lever 14 for the purthe pose of normally holding the latter in fiat contacting engagement with the stop 18. This arm 14 carries the guard 18 to which it is secured in any desired manner as for example bysoldering or by means of the rivets indicated at 19, such a detail being immaterial. This guard is of a casing-like construction sees tosurround the grinding disk B which may, however, be seen by the operator owin to the provision of a series of observation oles 20. This guard is here disclosed as having a curved lower portion 21 between depending extensions 22. These extensions are adapted to be engaged with the teeth for the purpose of guiding the device when in An impoetant feature is the provision of means for conducting water to the grinding disk for keeping it cool and in carrying this 0% Lprovide a rubber tube 23 held within clips Men the sleeve 10, it bein a convenient lan to form these clips integrally on the sleeve by the simple expedient of cutting the metal and bending it into the desired shape as clearly indicated. On that edge of the guard toward the sleeve I also provide a clip 25 which is likewise preferably formed interail therewith by cutting and bending and whic holds the end portion of the tube, the and extending partly within the confines of the guard so that water will be directed onto the disk. Any suitable means, not shown. may be employed for feeding water through the tube and this water may be permitted to flow in any desired quantity, either drop drop or as a'emull stream. Only a small amount is, however, necessary and the comof the tube by the resilient clips will constn'ct its well orpassage so that there will really be only a very small flow.

, i Assuming that the'devioe has been engaged upon the hand-piece, it will be apparent that when a tooth is to be ground the guard is inserted within the patients mouth with the'extensions QQ'stIaddling the tooth. After trimmer-position has been found. it is merely necessaryfor the operator to bear down somewhat 'on the forward end of the handpiece, that. is to say tilt it downward-1y or upwardly depending upon which jaw is being wheel upon, sons to move the grinding diskwith respect to the guard and into eon- .tact'wifll the tooth. When this is done the arm 'or lever 14 carrying the guard assumes an inclined position with respect to the handpiece, in opposition to the action ofthe spring 1 7 whidl alwaystendsto maintain tbeuguard iu melosingrelatim to the disk. The neceswater is permitted to flow as above desenbed. ilf at any time the operator slips the siting '1-7 will act to return the arm 14 'bo itflqmrriwllposition with "the guard extendinguround the'disk'so that this disk cannot come into contact with the tongue or. check nf'blmpatientimder any circumstances. 0w-

ing to the provision of the observation holes the progress of the work may be easily ascertained. At any time such is desired the operator may press upon the projecting end of the lever or arm 14 and swing the guard away from the disk, as for example when it is desired to change from one disk to anotbr.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will be apparent that I have thus provided a simply constructed and inexpensive device which will be a great safeguard during the carrying out of dental work. The device is easily attached to already existing hand-pieces and may be manufactured and sold as a complete assembly or entity. As all the parts are of metal it is clear that the device may be easily washed and sterilized so as to remain always in sanitary condition. As the construction is rugged it is evident that there is nothing to get out of order and that it should possess great durability. it is thought that the constructinn, operation and advantages should be readily apparent to one skilled in the art without further explanation.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understod that the disclosure is merely an exemplification of the principles involved as the right is reserved to make all such changes in the details of construction as will widen the field of utility and increase the adaptability of the device provided such changes constitute no departure from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

Having thus described the invention, 1 claim:

1. A guard attachment for a dentalhandpiece carrying a grinding disk, comprising a member adapted to be engaged upon the hand-piece, an arm pivoted thereon, and a guard carried by said arm and arranged in substantially enclosing relation to the disk, said guard being provided with a series of obsenvation holes at its top and sides and provided in its bottom with :ano ,saiid arm movable to extend the disk'to said opening.

2. Aiguard attachment for a dental bandpmiece carrying a grinding disk, comprising a member adapted to be engaged upon the hand-piece, an arm pivoted thereon, a guard carried by said arm and wronged in norm0 anally enclosing relation to .the disk, rthe guard having spaced prongs thereon engageable with teeth at the sides of one worked upon, a water conducting tube-carried by said member and {projecting .into .said guard ad- .jaoentlthe disk, and a clip-on the gnard compresaingly holding the tube.

3. A protective device for a dental handpiece equip ed with .agrinding-dish-conqpnising'a mem r adapted to be engaged upon the hand-piece, a support on said member, a movable spring pressed varm pivoted on said support, a guard carried by said arm and normally substantially enclosing the disk, and means for limiting movement of the arm in one direction.

4. A device of the character described comprising a sleeve member adapted for engagement upon a dental hand-piece equipped with a grinding disk, a support on said sleeve, an arm pivoted intermediate its ends upon said support and having one end serving as a handle, and a guard carried by the other end of the arm and normally enclosing the disk, the guard being of substantially semi-cylindrical shape with its sides prolonged to define spaced prongs, the prongs being connected for a portion of their width by a transverse concaved element.

5. A device of the character described comprising a sleeve member adapted for engagement upon a dental hand-piece equipped with a grinding disk, a support on said sleeve, an arm pivoted'intermediate its ends upon said support and having one end serving as a handle, a guard carried by the other end of the arm and normally enclosing the disk, spring means normally maintaining said arm in position with the guard enclosing the disk, and a stop for limiting movement of the arm in one direction.

6. A device of the character described comprising a sleeve member adapted for engagement upon a dental hand-piece equipped with a grinding disk, a support on said sleeve, an arm pivoted intermediate its ends upon said support and having one end serving as a handle, a guard carried by the other end of the arm and normally enclosing the disk, spring means normally maintaining said arm in position with the guard enclosing the disk, and a stop for limiting movement of the arm in one direction, said stop being formed as an ofl'set extension on the support.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

DAVID REITER. 

